Smithfield Shelter staying open as county tries to move occupants into permanent housing

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Allegheny County is keeping its winter weather shelter Downtown open past the usual closing date as it tries to move those staying there into permanent housing.

The county's Department of Human Services said the shelter at the Smithfield United Church of Christ, which usually closes March 15, currently houses more than 100 people each night. 

The DHS said it and its partners will keep monitoring the shelter and focusing on moving people into more permanent housing. 

"Closing the shelter completely will require more flow through our housing continuum into permanent housing. Through increased engagement with landlords and other efforts, we are seeing some improvements, but we are not there yet," DHS Director Erin Dalton  

The county said it's also working with Pittsburgh Mercy to reduce the number of people in the overflow shelter at Second Avenue Commons and expects to close the extra capacity next week.